1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to a tape transport mechanism for recording and/or reproducing apparatus, and more particularly is directed to a tape transport mechanism for a compact cassette tape player.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Many types of tape transport mechanisms have been provided for use in recording and/or reproducing apparatus, and which employ relatively complex arrangements of idler wheels and gears engageable with each other in various different arrangements for driving or transporting the tape in ways consistent with the various operating modes of the apparatus. Thus, for example, the tape transport mechanism has to be selectively operable to transport the tape from the supply reel to the take-up reel at a relatively slow standard speed for reproducing or recording operations, that is, for the normal forward mode, to transport the tape at a high speed from the supply reel to the take-up reel for the fast-forward mode, and to transport or return the tape at high speed from the take-up reel to the supply reel for the rewind mode. Usually, the idler wheels and gears of tape transport mechanisms are mounted on a chassis for rotation and for controlled movements or displacements in directions parallel to the chassis so as to establish one or the other of the desired operating modes. However, such movements of the idler wheels and/or gears in directions parallel to the chassis inherently result in a tape transport mechanism of relatively large size which cannot be embodied in a truly compact cassette tape player.
Although it has been proposed, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,010,493, to provide a tape transport mechanism in which one or more idler wheels and/or gears are moved perpendicular to the chassis for establishing the normal forward mode of the apparatus, such proposed mechanism still requires a gear or gears displaceable parallel to the chassis for establishing the rewind and fast-forward modes. Thus, the proposed tape transport mechanism is relatively complex and expensive, and the inclusion therein of at least one gear movable parallel to the plane of the chassis does not permit minimizing of the overall dimensions of the tape transport mechanism.